"Fossils Push Back Dawn of Photosynthesis to 1.75 Billion Years Ago"

A recent study has provided direct evidence of oxygenic photosynthesis dating back to the Archean era through the discovery of the oldest known thylakoids within fossilized cyanobacterial cells. These findings offer significant insights into the early biogeochemical cycles on Earth and the evolutionary history of cyanobacteria, which played a crucial role in the rise of atmospheric oxygen and the subsequent development of complex life.